Combined crane and material-moving device



Aug. 3, 1948. ERDAHL 2,446,220

COMBINED CRANE AND MATERIAL-MOVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 11, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvmx. MCI/04198 Elem/YA H rromsa N. M. ERDAHL COMBINEDCRANE AND MKTERIAL-MOVING DEVICE Filed Sept. 11,1944

Aug. 3, 1 948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Aug. 3, 1948. N. M. ERDAHL COMBINED CRANE AND MATERIAL-MOVING DEVICEFiled Sept. 11, 1944 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 error/wry.

enema Aug. a, 1948 COMBINED CRANE AND MATERIAL-MOVING DEVICE Nicholas M.Erdahl, Milwaukee, Wis., assig nor to Trackson Company, Milwaukee, Wis.,a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 11, 1944, Serial No.553,554

8 Claims. (01. 37-144) This invention relates to improvements in acombination crane of the mobile type and a. material-moving blade orscoop, and particularly to a structure employing common means to operateeither the crane or the blade or scoop.

Cranes of the mobile type are known in which an automotive vehicle, suchas a tractor of the track-laying type, furnishes both the mobility forand the power for operating the crane. In such structure, a framestraddles the tractor and is fixed thereon at a suitable location, suchas the tractor track frame. fixed mast on which is mounted a revolvablemast driven by means preferably transmitting torque only between therevolvable mast and its drive. The revolvable mast carries a pluralityof sheaves and a boom which are respectively rotatably and pivotallymounted thereon, the boom having sheaves mounted on the outer or tip endthereof. A cable is fixed at one end to the tip end of the boom and isreeved over some of the sheaves to a winch for raising and lowering theboom, and another cable extends from another winch over others of thesheaves to a hook for attachment to any desired load to be raisedandlowered. Power is taken by suitable means from the prime mover or thetractor, or other vehicle on which the above structure is mounted, andis'applied under the control of suitable clutches and transmissiongearing to the drive for the revolvable mast and to both the winch forthe boom cable and the winch for the load cable. The mast drive and thewinch drives are designed to secure control of movement thereof in bothdirections and are also preferably provided with automatically actingmeans to prevent undesired reversal of movement of any of the drivenparts. Further information regarding a rotating crane of the mobile typemay be obtained from U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,381,731 issued to me onJuly 31, 1945 and entitled Revolving cranes.

One object of the present invention is to so combine a crane of thecharacter above indicated with a material-moving blade or scoop as toemploy the operating means for the crane, for

controlling the action of the blade or scoop.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material-moving blade orscoop for use with a mobile revolving type crane in which the revolvablemast and the crane boom are locked against movement during use of theblade or scoop.

Another object of the invention is to provide detachable sheaves formounting ona combined mobile crane and material-movingdevlce to pro- Theframe supports a vide for ready reeving of the crane load line when useis to be made thereof in controlling the material-moving device.

, 'set forth will be apparent from the following description when readin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile revolving, type crane combinedwith a material-moving blade or scoop and showing the crane load linecable rigged for controlling the scoop;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the rigging of both of the cranecables when the load cable is rigged for controlling the blade or scoop;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a detachable bracket for mounting on the boomand carrying sheaves for the load cable when it is rigged to control thescoop, as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the sheave bracket shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top view of a detachable bracket for mounting on the boom toprovide an anchor for the load hook of the crane when the materialmovingblade or scoop is used;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the hook anchor shown Fig. 10 is a front viewof a sheave and the means for mounting the same on the back ornonworking surface of the {blade or scoop;

Fig. 11 is a side view of the sheave and mounting shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view partially in elevation and partially insection, of a modified sheave utilizing portions or the structures 0!Figs. 4 and 10;

3 Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on of line XIII-XIII of P18. 12;Fig. 14 is a partial perspective view showing the normal crane boomreplaced by a dummy the plane boom when the machine is to be used as amaterial moving device only; and

Fig. 15 diagrammatically illustrates the rigging particularly of theload cable, when the dummy boom is employed.

The tractor on which the' combined revolving -crane and material-movingblade or scoop are of U shape and are mounted in inverted position over.and straddling the tractor. The frame members l6, I! are joined at thetop by members I! forming a platform on which is mounted a fixed mastportion enclosed by a revolvable mast bearing rotatably supportedsheaves 2!, a sheave 22, and a boom, generally designated 23 andpivotally mounted on the mast as at 24. The boom is provided at its freeor tip end with sheaves 25 and 26, respectively, carrying theboom-operating cable 21 and the load-lifting cable 28, with a weight 29and a hook 30 attached to one end thereof. The end of the boom cable 21is fixed on the tip end of the boom and is reeved over sheaves 22, 25,one of sheaves 2!, a sheave 32 adjacent the base of the mast, and on thedrum 33 of a winch for raising and lowering the boom.

A boom-supporting frame includes pairs of members 36, 37, which aresecured to upper and lower portions, respectively, of themast-supporting frame members 'li on each side of the tractor to extendforwardly and above the tractor structure. The pairs of side members 36,31 on the two sides of the tractor are joined by a cross member 38 in ahorizontal plane somewhat below that of the axis of the boom pivot sothat the boom may rest on the cross member in substantially horizontalposition. The boom-supporting cross member 38 is formed with spacedarcuate guides 39 (see Fig. 8) forming a seat for I the boomsubstantially on the longitudinal axis of the tractor, and the boom isretained in the seat on the cross member by clamping fingers ill. Theclamping fingers are pivoted on the cross member tosswing into and outof engagement with the boom and are connected by adjustable rods 42 withan over-center toggle plate 43 pivoted on the cross member 38. thetoggle plate being provided with a handle 44 by which the fingers may beswung into and out of engagement with the boom. The toggle plate 43 isprovided with a detent (see Fig. 9) comprising a plunger 45 extendingthrough the plate and urged toward the boom frame cross member 38 by aspring 46. The nose of plunger 45 is adapted to engage in hole 41 orhole 48 in frame member 38 when the clamp is in engaging and disengagingposition, respectively. The detent is disengaged from the holes merelyby pulling on the head which is held while the toggle plate is swung onits pivot. Release of the plunger 45, when the clamp fingers are ineither of their end positions, causes the nose thereof to engage one ofthe holes 41 or 48. It will be seen that the construction of the clampabove described forms a look by which the clampis to be used with theblade or scoop, a sheave main on the boog;

position, preventing accidental engagement of the boom and preventingmovement of the boom when engaged by the fingers, respectively.

' When the boom is locked in its seat on the boom-supporting frame, theload line 28 may be used to control a material-moving blade or scoop,according to the present invention. In the present instance, a scoop isshown ascomprising a blade '49 with a cutting lip 50, side pieces 5|,and a top piece 52, although it will be understood that only the blademay be used, or that a scoopof other construction may likewise be used.The scoop is mounted on arms 53 which are so spaced that the arms-extend along the sides of the tractor for pivotal mounting, as at 54,on a portion of the track frame, or at another suitable location,-

as on the mast frame, dependent on whether the scoop is to be usedmerely as a bulldozer or as a loader also.

The crane boom is made (see Fig. 4) with side members 55 shown as beingchannel shaped, the boom side members being spaced and stiffened bycross members such as angles 51 and plates 51' (see Figs. 5 and 6)..When the crane bracket (see Figs. 3 and 4) is clamped on the boom,preferably as closely adjacent to the boom support frame 36, 31, 38, asis practical. It will be understood that the sheave bracket may repliedto either a ed or telescoping boom. The sheave bracket generallycomprises side plates 58 joined by a cross member 59 shown as angleshaped and carrying sheaves 60, 56. The bracket is of such size as tofit closely about theboom and the side plates 58 are provided withblocks 64 on facing sides thereof and so spaced that the bracket crossangle 59 is brought closely ad- Jacent to the bottom surfaces of theboom members 55 when the blocks 64 rest on the upper surface of the boommembers 55. Bolts 65 extend through the bracket side plates 58 and areseverally provided with hooked sleeves 66 to engage over the edge of theboom members 55 when drawn up by the nut 6'! on each bolt. Shifting ofthe sheave bracket toward the end of the boom is prevented by one of theboom cross members 57 which engages with a block 68 on the bracket crossangle 59, and by a block 69 extending laterally from the block 68 andclamped to the lower flange of the boom member 56 as by bolts 10 andnuts H. A carrier for the sheaves 60, Si is .formed by plates 14 and 15attached to the bracket cross angle and carrying an axle ll formed witha square section 18 at one end thereof to engage with a stop block 19fixed on the carrier plate I4, whereby the axle is prevented fromturning. A' cable guide is placed between the sheaves 60 and iii and isformed by spaced plates mounted on the axle and pivoting thereaboutuntil the plate ends 8i engage with the edge of the bracket cross member59. The guide plates 80 are connected by cross plates 82, with one ofsuch cross plates 82 carrying a bolt and nut 83 and a clamping plate 84which may be moved into and out of engagement with an edge of thebracket cross member 59.

The hook weight 29 and the hook 30 are attacha-ble to an anchor, seeFigs. 5 and 6, formed generally of an angle 85 extending across thewidth of the boom and of such length that side plates 86 secured to theends thereof lie closely adjacent the side surfaces of the boom, theplates being joined by a tie bolt 81 extending over the at all times andmay be aD- boom. A bottom plate ll isjlxed to one leg of the cross angleII and to theside plates 00. Hook blocks extend from the other leg ofthe angle II to hook over boomcross member 01' and fix the position oithe anchor when tension is put on the line 28, A bar 00 is mounted onthe bracket cross angle to extend across the space between the one legof the cross angle and bottom plate 00 for engagement by the hook 00. Acradle for carrying the weight 29 is formed from side bars 0| joined byan arcuate strip 02 and is removably mounted on' the anchor bracket byextension of the side bars over a plate 03 through which screws 04extendto secure the cradle side barsin position. The plates 02 arejoined to bars II as by welding to provide ollset extensions of suchbars for attachment by the screws 04 to the plate 00. When the hook isto be anchored the screws 00 are backed off to release the cradle bars8i which permits removal of the cradle.

The hook is then engaged with th bar 00 and the cradle 0i, 92 ls broughtup to receive andload line arranged, as shown in Fig. 2, in

which the end of the line having the hook 00 attached thereto isanchored to the boom. The.

s' ide structure rotates clockwise about the sheave axle III to providea space above the sheaves through which a bight of the cable 20 may bepushed. the bight being intended to pass around the sheave I02. Therunning part of the cable is then carried by sheave 80 while thestanding part 01' the cable merely rests on the sheave 0i due toanchoring of the end of the cable adjacent the sheave. And to reeve thecable 23 over the sheave I02, the detent plunger I0! is de- I pressedagainst the force of the spring I00 to reblade or scoop to receive apivoted mounting for a readily demountabie sheave, such sheave beingknown as of the snatch-block type. Plates 00 carry a pivot pin 91 onwhich is placed the sheave mounting including pivot bearing portions 00and spaced side plates 88, the one pivot portion 00 preferably beingprovided with a lug I00 to limit the degree to which the sheave may beswung away .irorn the bulldozer blade. The mounting side plates 00 areprovided with a pin III forming anaxle for a sheave I02 and extendingtherethrough, the one end of the pin hav ing a squared portion engaginga block I03 to prevent turning of the axle. The squared end of the axleMI is also provided with a handle ill by which the axle may bemanipulated, as will be described. The other end of the axle IN istapered for ready insertion through the holes in the mounting sideplates 99 and the sheave I02 and is formed with a groove adjacentthetaper. The groove provides a seat for a detent, shown as comprisingblocks I08 flxedjon a mounting side plate 00 and supporting around-nosed plunger I01 urgedinto the groove by a spring I00. The

spring acts between a shoulder of the plunger and one of the blocks I06and cooperates with moving material and must be movable in order topermit swinging of the load cable as. the blade or scoop is raised andlowered. Ii the blade or scoop pulley, however, is omitted, the forcemultiplication obtained thereby is lost and increased power is necessaryto control the same.

When thestructure above described is used, the

lease the nose of the detent from the groove in the axle. The axle maythen be withdrawn 8. suiflcient distance to allow the sheave I02 to beremoved for looping the cable 28 over the sheave which is then replacedin the mounting, the axle bracket sheaves 60, BI, and the end of theweight 29, an arcuate saddle maybe provided for such cable part and thesheave 60 may then be mounted as shown in Fig. 12, which mounting issimilar to the mounting of sheave-I02. The bracket 50, 59, and the plate14 are precisely the same as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A cable guide plateI II is fixed on the bracket at a spacing from the plate H such that thesheave fits properly into the space. A second cable guide plate H8 issecured on the bracket and has mounted on one side thereof a saddle 0which is preferably approximately semi-circular with a groove of thesame cross sectional size and radius as the groove in the sheave 60, theposition of the saddle being such as tofurnish proper support for thebend'in the standing part of the cable extending from the hook 30 to thesheave I02. A tube H9 extends through plates H5 and H6 to form a spacerand stiffener for the plates and to act as a sleeve receiving an axleI20 for the sheave 60. One end of the axle is provided with a handle I2Iand the other end of the axle is tapered and formed with a groove toreceive a detent I22 which is similar to that described in Figs. 10 and11 and therefore not further described. Rotation of the axle I20, whichwould release the axle from its detent, is prevented by engagement of astud I25 extending through thesleeve H9 into a keyway I26.cut into theaxle, the key-way havin a portion at right angles to the portion of thekeyway shown in Fig. 12. When the modification described immediatelyabove is used, the standing part of the cable is laid on the saddle H8and the cable is looped over the sheave I02 as above described. The axleI20 is then pulled toward the right (of Fig. 12) to release it from thedetent I22 whereupon the sheave 00 is removable for laying the runningpart of the cable 20 thereon. The

sheave is then replaced in its carrier and the axle 7 is reinsertedwhich places the cable in the position shown in Fig. 2 for use of theblade or scoop.

When a fixed boom is used on the crane, the hook anchor previouslydescribed may be replaced by the structure shown in Fig. 7 in which arod I is pivotally connected with the tip end of the boom and isprovided with an eye I29 at itsother end to receive the hook 30. Anangle I00, braced as at I3I, ismounted on the rod I20 to extend intocontact with the boom and retain the rod in the axial line of the hookand cable. A cradle is then secured to the eye I29 oi the rod to receiveand retain the hook weight 20 and the hook 30 in a straight line withthe cable 28 when tension is applied thereto. The cradle comprises sidebars I33 (of which only one appears in the drawing) secured to theeyelet end of the rod I28 and joined by arcuate cross straps I and I 35of such size as to receive the weight 20. The rod I28 is pivotallyconnected with the tip end of the boom so that tension on the hook will.pull the rod into and hold the rod in the proper position with the braceI30, I3I in contact with the under side of the boom.

When the crane is to be used as a bulldozer or pusher for anextendedperiod of time, or in close quarters, the boom 23 may. be replaced by aboom-like member or dummy boom I; (see Fig. .14) mounted on the boompivot 24 in the mast 20. The dummy boom preferably extends only a shortdistance beyond the end of the tractor itself and need be provided onlywith a single sheave, indicated at III, at the tip end thereof. The loadcable 20, from which the weight and the hook must be removed forthreading the cable over the sheave I, is then looped through aneye-bolt I42 in the end of the boomlike member and is clamped to provideanchorage for the end of the cable. The cable 28 is then reeved, asshown in Fig. Y15, and the boom cable 21 is drawn back to the mast wherethe end thereof is attached to the mast adjacent the sheave 2|. The loadline 20, minus the weight 20' and the hook 30, is readily reeved overthe sheave I by threading through the mounting thereof and may be reevedover the sheave I02 as already described.

In the modification described immediately above, the sheave I might bemounted directly on the frame 36, 31, 38rather than on the boom-likemember I40. And the end of the crane load cable might be connecteddirectly to the material-moving blade or scoop rather than brought backto the'dummy boom I40. If such construction, however, is made, the forcemultiplication of the blade sheave is lost and a pivoted connection mustbe provided for the end of the crane cable.

It is desirable to provide means for locking the revolvable mast 20against movement by latching its power cont ol leverage I45 (see Fig. 1)against independent actuation thereof.- Such lock is obtained bypivoting a latch I46 on a stationary portion of the mast structureadiacent the power control leverage. One end of the latch I4,0-isprovided with a notch which engages'over the power control leverage I45and the pivot for the latch is so placed that the latch remains inengaged position due to its weight unless voluntarily disengaged. Thereis no need for providing a lock for the boom winch due to the fact thatthe control lever for such winch is located, as shown in my aboveidentified patent, ina position in which accidental -actuation of suchlever is impossible.

Although but one embodiment oi the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled intheart that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

s 1. In combination with a crane mounted on an automotive vehicle, thecrane including a boom, a cable for raising and lowering a load, andmeans for raising and lowering the cable; a materialmoving scooppivotally mounted on the vehicle, sheaves rotatable on a common axlemounted on the boom, a cable guide mounted between the sheaves and onthe axle therefor, the guide be ing movable to pass a bight of thecable, a sheave mounted on the scoop to receive the bight oi the cable,and means anchoring one end ofthe cable to the boom.

2. The combination with a crane mounted on an automotive vehicle, thecrane comprising a boom, a load cable carried by the boom, a weight anda hook at one end of the cable, and means for winding and unwinding thecable to raise and lower the hook; or a material-moving scoop pivotallymounted on the vehicle, sheaves mounted on the boom to carry a standingpart and a running part of the cable, a sheave mounted on the scoop toreceive a bight of the cable, and a cradle mounted on the boomfor'carrying the weight type mounted on an automotive Vehicle, the

crane having a pivoted boom, means for raising and lowering the boom,and a cable on the boom for raisin and lowering a load; with a scooppivoted on the vehicle, means connecting the cable and the scoop forpivotal movement there'- of, 'a frame mounted on the vehicle andproviding 'a seat for the boom, and means'mounted on the frame forclamping the boom thereon.

5. The combination of a crane of the revolving type mounted on anautomotive vehicle, the crane having a pivoted boom, means for raisingand lowering the boom, and a cable on the boom for raising and loweringa load; with a scoop pivoted on the vehicle, means connecting the cableand the scoop for pivotal movement of the latter, a frame mounted on thevehicle and providing a seat for the boom, fingers pivoted on the framefor swinging into and out of engagement with.

and clamping the boom on the frame, and means for swinging andreleasably holding the fingers in boom-engaging and disengagingposition.

6. The combination of a crane mounted on an automotive vehicle, thecrane being of the type including a revolving mast, power-driven meansfor revolving the mast, a leverage controlling the supply of power tothemast, and a cable for raising and lowering a load; with a materialmovingblade pivoted on the vehicle, means connecting the cable and the bladefor pivotal movement thereof, and a latch mounted uponthe mast forholding the control leverage of the driving means therefor ininoperative position when the blade only is to be operated.

7. In combination with an automotive crane including a boom, a. cablefor raising and lowering a load, and means for raising and lowering thecable, a material-moving blade pivoted on the crane, an axle fixed onthe boom. sheaves rotatable on the axle, means mounted on the axlebetween the sheaves for guiding the cable and movable to pass a bight ofthe cable, a sheave of the snatch block type mounted on the blade forpivotal movement only, and means anchoring one end of the cable to theboom.

8. The combination with an automotive crane including a boom pivotedthereon, means for raising and lowering the boom, a cable mounted on theboom for raising and lowering a load, and means for raising and loweringthe cable, with a material-moving blade pivoted on the crane, meansconnecting the cable and the blade for pivotal movement of the latter, aframe mounted 10 on the crane and providing a seat for the boom, fingerspivoted on the frame for swinging into and out of clampingengagementwith the boom, and a detent holding the fingers either in engaged or indisengaged position on the boom.

NICHOLAS M. ERDAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austin Sept. 17, 1940

